FAQ

Wet cleaning is a procedure for the professional cleaning of textiles in water, preferably outerwear, without using organic solvents.

Sensitive, even non-washable textiles are cleaned in water at low liquor level with washing mechanics using intervals of short crush momentum and longer reaction times. Newly developed care products of the LANADOL series protect the fabrics against shrinkage, reduce the swelling tendency of natural fibers and increase the surface slide characteristics by agglomeration of colloids. Draining is achieved by extreme centrifugal acceleration in specifically designed wet cleaning machines.

The subsequent drying process is carried out with drum driers with optimized preservation of the textiles whose intelligent control and measurement technology dries the textiles to defined residual moisture values.

As washing machine and drier have to be operated separately, additional loading from one machine to the other is required during wet cleaning. Modern dry cleaning technology works according to the „dry to dry“ procedure: Textiles are cleaned and dried in the same machine. However, the next batch can already be cleaned while the first batch is dried. The LANADOL Sensitiv procedure therefore allows a new cleaning cycle every 20 minutes so that the operating organisation can clean 2 to 3 batches per hour.

The rate-determining step during operation is the workflow in the subsequent finishing process. The productivity of wet cleaning is therefore superior to that of traditional solvent cleaning at comparable machine capacity.
 
Prespotting is simple as only fat-bonded dirt, e.g. collar dirt, must be pretreated. Any stains originating from food, beverages or excreta that require attention in dry cleaning are removed during wet cleaning with far less effort. There are no problems concerning smells, greying or fading colours. On the contrary: The cleaned clothing has a fresh scent, bright colours and a pleasant grip.

Since no solvents are used, there are no problems concerning the storage of solvents, no distillation problems and no distillation residues that need to be disposed of for a fee as hazardous waste by certified disposal companies.

The institutional regulations and controls that are typical for the use of solvents do not apply. The installation of wet cleaning technology in shopping centers, inner-city areas etc. is generally uncomplicated. This is also expressed by the insurance benefits of the operations.

The additional expenditure for finishing is relatively low if the appropriate finishing equipment for wet cleaning is available and if the staff is trained accordingly. The finishing of wet cleaned textiles is different from but not more difficult than the finishing of dry cleaned textiles. Professional wet cleaning requires professional finishing equipment, e.g. trouser toppers, form finishers and modern ironing boards. A standard ironing board would make the work tiresome and the finishing result would not be satisfactory. Appropriate ironing equipment is a must in professional textile care and indispensable with regard to the ironing quality.

The following comparison will illustrate this; it applies to the cleaning service for private customers, not to industrial areas.

Rating:    ++ = good; + = possible; (+) = partly possible; - - = not possible

The comparison shows the wide application range of wet cleaning for all service areas of textile cleaning. From this point of view, wet cleaning links laundry with dry cleaning. It offers market potential for cleaners in the field of private service and for laundries in the field of outerwear.

• Excellent and hygienic cleaning results.
• High safety for delicate materials and demanding ready-made textiles.
• Even fabrics labeled W, P and hand-wash can be wet cleaned with the LANADOL process. 
• Brilliant colours.
• Scented freshness.
• Pleasant handle and aggreable to the skin.
• Broad application range of wet cleaning service for all areas of the textile cleaning.
• High level of acceptance in the public.
• Attracting new customers who reject the principle dry cleaning.
• Expansion of the service range to ensure the competitiveness.

• Wet cleaning is done with water and biodegradable detergents.
• The LANADOL products meet the requirements for the „Blauer Engel“ (blue angel) environment award.
• No emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC) into the atmosphere.
• No risk of air or earth pollution.
• Better working climate in the cleaning shop, as no solvents are used.
• No use of solvents.

Wet cleaning is therefore the most environment-friendly and health-caring way of textile care!

• Attracting new customers who reject the principle dry cleaning.
• Low application quantities for water, energy and detergents.
• Short batch times and thereby high use of machinery investment.

• Lower purchase and maintenance costs make wet cleaning particularly economical.

The photograph shows three IWS test tissues.

Left: Dry cleaned in hydrocarbon solvent
Center: Miele System Kreussler in the LANADOL Sensitiv procedure
Right: Wet cleaning according to care symbol „W"

While no distinct difference can be observed between the dry cleaned tissue and the tissue cleaned with LANADOL, the higher shrinkage of the tissue treated according to „W“ is obvious.   

In other words, wet cleaning using the LANADOL procedure goes beyond the specifications of the textile care symbol „W“ and therefore enhances the procedural safety of the wet cleaning process!

When experts discuss wet cleaning, one of the major topics is: „How many of the textiles to be cleaned can be wet-cleaned and for how many do you still need solvent?“

There is also the more precise question: „For which articles does wet cleaning make sense and where is the economic limit with regard to both costs and the risks during the treatment?“

Both questions do not get to the bottom of the matter which is actually: „Does wet cleaning offer a better chance for the future of professional textile cleaning than dry cleaning?“

After 20 years of experience with wet cleaning, essential elements of this crucial questions have been answered clearly:

• Professional textile cleaning using the solvent „water“ is neither detrimental to health nor harmful to the environment.
• The acceptance of customers and employees in cleaning companies is perfect.
• Cleaning effect, stain removal and textile hygiene are excellent.
• The portfolio of services is very extensive: from shirt service, special services for sportswear, wedding-dresses and bedclothes to jeans, blouses, dresses and suits.
• Installation costs and operating costs as well as the operation risks are considerably lower than with the use of solvent.

However, there are also some issues that need further consideration:

• The assessment of treatment risks for care labelling (P) or (F).
• The required qualification of employees to ensure that the customers' clothing is not damaged if errors occur.
• The required finishing equipment and finishing methods.
• Cost gathering, pricing and active marketing.

The positive and ecological image of the ecolabel RAL UZ 104 „Blue Angel – Wet cleaning“ has also helped this innovative cleaning technology internationally since its market introduction. Kreussler as the inventor of wet cleaning with LANADOL have benefitted from this image, but the technical standard of the LANADOL products and procedure goes far beyond the criteria of the “Blue Angel”.

Today, LANADOL defines the state of the art in wet cleaning!

Even sceptics of wet cleaning admit that the treatment of easy-care clothing, sportswear, trousers, skirts, dresses, raincoats and all garments that can be proofed is far easier with wet cleaning than with solvents. Jackets and suits are an exception as the risk and the finishing expenditure are higher.

If, however, wet cleaning offers obvious advantages with regard to installation, operational safety, treatment costs, service spectrum, cleaning quality, customer acceptance and for almost any cleaningware with the exception of mens' clothing, why should one not focus on solving this problem step by step?

The multitude of laundries and textile cleaners worldwide who wet clean such difficult clothing every day illustrates how far this has already been solved. It is learnable! The success of these companies in everyday competition shows that this is the right way. In many countries, the investment in wet cleaning is even promoted both financially and by less stringent official requirements! 

The majority of the textile care companies offer wet cleaning and dry cleaning with the proportion of wet cleaned articles increasing every year.

For an exposed location as typically found in shopping malls with adjacent food stores or in countries with tougher environmental legislation, a growing number of textile cleaners is deciding to offer wet cleaning exclusively.

In commercial laundries as well the trend is going towards wet cleaning sensitive corporate fashion items that are often offered in textile leasing for banks, insurances or offices.

A traditional domain for wet cleaning are operations such as retirement and nursing homes with their own in-house cleaning technology as well as fire services with their sensitive protective clothing.

Yes, wet cleaning is and continues to be future-oriented because wet cleaning has proved to be successful on the international market and the LANADOL range of products even goes beyond the specifications of the textile care label "W" and therefore increases the procedural safety of the wet cleaning process!